Carmody's Log for French

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Carmody
Black Belt - 1st Dan
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Location: NYC, NY
Languages: English (N)
French (B1)
Language Log: http://tinyurl.com/zot7wrs
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby Carmody » Tue Feb 20, 2018 2:55 am

In learning a language I find it easy to forget to stop and smell the roses. The following for me is one of the nice roses that I have come across.

I often follow Patricia on her Home Language YouTube channel and recently she read an article from Le Figaro written by Émile Zola on 17 January 1867 Dans Paris, la neige.

1-To hear it read by Patricia in a very lovely manner go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04YiLolvkYs

2-To find the original from 1867 go here:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k270630z/f1.item.r=La%20neige%20par%20emile%20Zola.zoom

3-To read the article, go to the above website and download it free in PDF format and magnify it to a convenient magnification.

4-For my own pronunciation and comprehension practice, I bring up the PDF format in one Window at a convenient magnification and then follow along while Patricia reads in another Window simultaneously.

Note: I have tried to copy and paste the PDF version to Word but am not succeeding. If someone finds a version of this in accessible format do let me know.

Enjoy the journey...
3 x

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reineke
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby reineke » Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:49 am

"Vers le soir, un nuage d'un gris rose monte de l'horizon et lentement emplit le ciel. De petits souffles froids s'élèvent et font frissonner l'air. Puis, un grand silence, une immobilité douce et glaciale descend sur Paris qui s'endort. La ville noire sommeille, la neige se met à tomber avec lenteur dans la sérénité glacée de l'espace. Et le ciel couvre sans bruit l'immense cité en dormie d'un tapis virginal et pur.

Le 2 janvier, lorsque Paris s'est éveillé, il a vu que, pendant la nuit, la nouvelle année avait mis une robe blanche à la ville. La ville semblait toute jeune et toute chaste. Il n'y avait plus ni ruisseaux, ni trottoirs, ni pavés noirâtres: les rues étaient de larges rubans de satin blanc; les places, des pelouses toutes blanches de pâquerettes. Et les pâquerettes de l'hiver avaient aussi fleuri sur les toits sombres. Chaque saillie, les bords des fenêtres, les grilles, les branches des arbres portaient de légères garnitures de dentelle. On eût dit que la cité était une petite fille, ayant la jeunesse tendre de la nouvelle année. Elle venait de jeter ses haillons, sa boue et sa poussière, et elle avait mis ses belles jupes de gaze. Elle respirait "...!


Good luck.
1 x

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rdearman
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby rdearman » Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:33 am

Carmody wrote:In learning a language I find it easy to forget to stop and smell the roses. The following for me is one of the nice roses that I have come across.

I often follow Patricia on her Home Language YouTube channel and recently she read an article from Le Figaro written by Émile Zola on 17 January 1867 Dans Paris, la neige.

1-To hear it read by Patricia in a very lovely manner go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04YiLolvkYs

2-To find the original from 1867 go here:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k270630z/f1.item.r=La%20neige%20par%20emile%20Zola.zoom

3-To read the article, go to the above website and download it free in PDF format and magnify it to a convenient magnification.

4-For my own pronunciation and comprehension practice, I bring up the PDF format in one Window at a convenient magnification and then follow along while Patricia reads in another Window simultaneously.

Note: I have tried to copy and paste the PDF version to Word but am not succeeding. If someone finds a version of this in accessible format do let me know.

Enjoy the journey...

You can use this website to convert from PDF to text.

https://ebook.online-convert.com/
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Carmody
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:00 am
Location: NYC, NY
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French (B1)
Language Log: http://tinyurl.com/zot7wrs
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby Carmody » Tue Feb 20, 2018 2:34 pm

:o :o :o
It works!
Thanks so much!!!
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rdearman
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby rdearman » Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:16 pm

Carmody wrote::o :o :o
It works!
Thanks so much!!!

There is an offline version you get with Calibre ebook-management system but the online one is easy to use. You might still want to check out Calibre.
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My YouTube Channel
The Autodidactic Podcast
My Author's Newsletter

I post on this forum with mobile devices, so excuse short msgs and typos.

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Carmody
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:00 am
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby Carmody » Fri Apr 06, 2018 3:14 pm

Just an update for my study log for the first quarter or Jan-Apr 6th time frame.

Area of focus…………………………………............................Time Spent
1.Viewing of YouTube courses
(Francais Avec Pierre, Home Language, etc.)……………..........33 Hrs.

2. Language Learning
(Polyglot Confer., etc……………………………………………………..........5 Hrs
.
3.YouTube Documentaries Plus unedicteeparjour.fr ...........8 Hrs.

4. French literature……………………………………………………..........149 Hrs.
(includes intensive rereading of previous bks.
for vocab, idioms, etc. plus new books like
Un Coeur Simple by Flaubert
Le chant de l'océan by M. Dupuy

5.PenPals: Writing to friends plus Skype sessions…………………..10 Hrs.

6. French Grammar
Ultimate French, by Stillman and Gordon
French Grammar: A Complete Ref. Guide by Calvez...............12 Hrs.
…………………………………………………………………...............……Total 217 Hrs.

Notes:
#2 - I have invested time in the study of the methodology of language learning for the first time by viewing of the Polyglot Conference and have found it very useful.

#6 French literature is my joy and prime motivation for studying this language. If anyone knows of good contemporary French literature that they could recommend I am eager to hear of new titles.

Observations:
I need to put more effort into my Active skills and get out of the comfort zone of the Passive skills. My comprehension of the spoken French language remains very poor.

I monitor this Forum every day, find it a wonderful resource and am grateful to everyone.
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zjones
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Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=9860
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby zjones » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:07 pm

Carmody, how are you doing with your French? Have you been able to practice more of your active skills, or at least push yourself with listening comprehension? I am in the same boat myself, I feel like it is very easy to tip from "Hm, yes, I can understand this," to "I can't understand any of this at all!!! Run away!" My brain just gets overwhelmed at all the new information and tends to shut down. Maybe I need to do some taichi. :P

(Sorry to pop out of the woodworks here, I am a lurker and enjoy reading through the logs and seeing everyone's progress.)
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Carmody
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:00 am
Location: NYC, NY
Languages: English (N)
French (B1)
Language Log: http://tinyurl.com/zot7wrs
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Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby Carmody » Fri Apr 27, 2018 10:53 pm

zjones

ah yes, "listening comprehension." !!!

I guess I keep slogging away at: Home Language, Francais Avec Pierre, and Francais Authentique on YouTube. Then of course the documentaries.

Yes, taichi :D
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Carmody
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:00 am
Location: NYC, NY
Languages: English (N)
French (B1)
Language Log: http://tinyurl.com/zot7wrs
x 3395

Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby Carmody » Wed May 16, 2018 9:31 pm

After careful review of people's suggestions I went ahead and took a Dialang test that smallwhite suggested. Test taking for me ranks right up there along side fear of Public Speaking. The results are:

Listening...B1
Vocabulary B1
Reading....B2
Writing.....B1

I frankly do not find them accurate. I believe they clearly inflate my skill set capability. I don't believe them for a minute.

However the good advice of people here has helped me to identify the real cause of my despair in my language learning. It is that I really, I mean really, have very poor Oral comprehension and Production. But I am going to put up a separate thread for that and maybe people can share some specific suggestions for addressing that under practical questions.

https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 83#p105683

Again my thanks to everyone for getting me to a "B" level, even if it is imaginary.

Thanks of course to Tom Gosse who has been so extraordinary with with assistance throughout.
5 x

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Carmody
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:00 am
Location: NYC, NY
Languages: English (N)
French (B1)
Language Log: http://tinyurl.com/zot7wrs
x 3395

Re: Carmody's Log for French

Postby Carmody » Sat May 26, 2018 11:22 pm

I just saw the book list that Robierre posted that showed the books he has read in different languages. I am only studying French but here is my list of French books that I have read to date since starting two years ago.

Le Retour de l'Enfant Prodigue A. Gide
Bonjour Tristesse F. Sagan
L'Amant Marguerite Duras
La Symphonie pastorale A. Gide
L'école des sorciers JK Rowling
Stupeur Et Tremblements A. Nothomb
L'Élégance du hérisson M. Barbery
Le Sabotage amoureux A. Nothomb
Métaphysique des tubes A. Nothomb
Histoire du lion Personne S. Audeguy
Le lit defait F. Sagan
Les yeux jaunes des crocodiles K. Pancol
La Peste A. Camus
Le Sud Yves Berger
Mercure A. Nothomb
La biographie de la faim A. Nothomb
Thérèse Desqueyroux F. Mauriac
Poil de carotte J. Renard
La Place A. Ernaux
La Douleur M. Duras
Le Retour de l'Enfant Prodigue A. Gide
Bonjour Tristesse F. Sagan
L'Amant Marguerite Duras
La Symphonie pastorale A. Gide
L'école des sorciers JK Rowling
Stupeur Et Tremblements A. Nothomb
L'Élégance du hérisson M. Barbery
Le Sabotage amoureux A. Nothomb
Métaphysique des tubes A. Nothomb
Histoire du lion PersonneS. Audeguy
Le lit defait F. Sagan
Les yeux jaunes des crocodiles K. Pancol
La Peste A. Camus
Le Sud Yves Berger
Mercure A. Nothomb
La biographie de la faim A. Nothomb
Thérèse Desqueyroux F. Mauriac
Poil de carotte J. Renard
La Place A. Ernaux
La Douleur M. Duras
Le Château de ma mère M. Pagnol
Les Années Annie Ernaux
La grammaire est un chanson douce E. Orsenna
Un Coeur Simple Flaubert
Le chant de l'océan M. Dupuy
Un barrage contre le Pacifique M. Duras

Notations to the above list:

1-I have focused on just 20th century French fiction writers and am always eager to learn of authors not on my list that people really have enjoyed reading.
2-I try to read each book extensively first and then intensively 2-3 times thereafter.
3-My favorite French/Belgium author is A. Nothomb. I don't believe there is anyone writing as she does in the English language. No one respects her, but I love her.
3-If you have questions about any of the above books please feel free to ask.
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